Introduction
by Jenn11
Summary: "Are you ever going to introduce me to your new shadow?" "Lucrezia, this is Micheletto. Micheletto, my sister, the Lady Lucrezia," Cesare introduced.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: With how often Lucrezia must have seen Micheletto with Cesare, I imagine they have to be 'officially' introduced at some point…

I'm saying this takes place late in the 1st Season, when Lucrezia is pregnant and back in Rome, before she goes to the Convent to have her baby.

INTRODUCTIONS

Micheletto and Cesare fell silent as Lucrezia approached them. Cesare smiled at her, as Micheletto stepped back a pace.

"Good morning, Cesare."

"Good morning, my sweet sister," Cesare replied.

Lucrezia's smile faded a bit, and she glanced at Micheletto, then back to Cesare. "Are you ever going to introduce me to your new shadow?"

"Lucrezia, this is Micheletto. Micheletto, my sister, the Lady Lucrezia," Cesare introduced.

Micheletto stepped forward and gave a small bow. "My Lady."

Lucrezia curtsied slightly. "Micheletto. Thank you."

"My Lady?" Micheletto asked, as Cesare tensed.

"I may be young, but I am a Borgia. I'd guess your job is to watch my brother's back, and keep him safe… so, thank you."

He gave a deeper bow.

Cesare relaxed a bit. If Lucrezia wanted to believe the Micheletto was some sort of body guard, he certainly wasn't going to be the one to disabuse her of that notion. And, thankfully, neither was Micheletto.

A/N: So, would anyone be interested in me continuing this, with more conversations between the two?

I have an idea for Lucrezia figuring out Micheletto's secret… Yes? No? Maybe so?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Takes place in Ep 2x4: Stray Dogs, before Rodrigo and Cesare leave Rome. Many thanks to Queen of War for letting me use her line "You're one of the few men I do not share blood with that I can trust not to look at me as an object." Also, thanks for the kind reviews, and adding this story to your Favorites and Alerts. Hope you like this chapter. The next one should be up Wednesday. Also, please let me know if there are any episodes/events/topics you'd like to see these two discuss…. Poison is up for discussion in a couple chapters.

The evening before her brother and father were to leave, Lucrezia walked over to Micheletto.

"My Lady," he greeted.

"Micheletto. I trust you'll watch out for my brother on this trip?"

"Of course," he replied.

"Then I will not worry for his safety."

"Yes, you will," he countered.

"Yes, I will," she admitted.

"May I ask a personal question?"

"You may ask," he replied.

"Does Cesare know?"

"Know what, my Lady?"

"That you… prefer men," she said, meeting his eyes.

"What makes you think that?" he asked, genuinely curious as to what had given him away.

"You don't look at me, or Giulia, the way other men do. It's like you don't notice we are women. No… You notice, you just don't care… It doesn't matter to you the way it does to other men… I'm not explaining myself well…"

"I understand what you mean. But there is another explanation than the one you imagine: if Cesare saw me look at you with even a hint of lust or desire… well, he would not be happy."

"True," she admitted. "And that's what I thought at first. I'm not vain enough to think that every man who sees me lusts after me; so I wasn't sure until I saw you look at that handsome man earlier…" She paused, and gave an almost imperceptible nod at the man in question. "…with all the awareness and desire that are lacking when you look at me, Giulia, or any other woman. Don't worry, it was just for a moment, and I'm sure no one but me saw it. But you still haven't answered my question: does Cesare know?"

"No. At least I don't think he does," Micheletto answered. "Will you tell him?"

"No. I don't like keeping secrets from Cesare, but this isn't my secret to tell," she told him.

"Thank you, my Lady," he replied.

"You're one of the few men I do not share blood with that I can trust not to look at me as an object. I appreciate that," she told him.

Seeing Cesare's eyes on them, she moved back to her place at his side.

"What were you and Micheletto talking about?" Cesare asked.

"I was just asking him to make sure you come home from this trip safely," she replied, then leaned up to kiss his cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This is a missing scene from just after baby Giovanni is baptized. Hope you like…

When Michleletto approached her after the Baptism, Lucrezia was surprised. He'd never sought her out before.

"Lady Lucrezia."

"Micheletto. Is something wrong?"

"No, my Lady. You made a wise choice for Godfather."

"The only choice," she replied. "There is no one else I would trust, or want, to be Giovanni's Godfather."

"I will do what I can to help Cesare protect your baby," he told her. He felt he owed her a debt for keeping his secret; besides which, Cesare would kill him if he let anything happen to his nephew.

Lucrezia looked up to meet his eyes. "I must have seemed foolish, being so proud of myself while saying I knew you were a body guard. You're much more than that, aren't you?"

"That is something you should ask your brother."

"I'm asking you," she said, sounding every bit a Borgia.

"I do the things His Eminence cannot trust others to do. More than that, you will have to hear from him," Micheletto said.

"He still seems to see me as some innocent girl…"

"As someone more innocent than him… and he wants to keep it that way," Micheletto put in. "You're lucky to have someone like that."

"You didn't." She made it a question, rather than a statement.

"I didn't," he agreed. "I don't need your pity," he added.

"You do not have it," she assured him. "Pity is for the weak, and you do not strike me as being weak."

He sketched a slight bow, "You truly are a Borgia, my Lady," he said, then walked over to Cesare, not seeing the smile that curved Lucrezia's lips.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Takes place in Ep 2x4: Stray Dogs, before Rodrigo and Cesare leave Rome. I'd really wanted one of the Borgia's to know Micheletto's secret, and with the way Lucrezia can use her beauty as a tool/weapon, I thought it most believable to be her when a man doesn't react to her beauty as other men do. But this is probably a bit more realistic that the earlier chapter… Thanks to MolotovMini for the inspiration for this variation.

Again, many thanks to Queen of War for letting me use her line "You're one of the few men I do not share blood with that I can trust not to look at me as an object." Also, thanks for the kind reviews, and adding this story to your Favorites and Alerts. Hope you like this chapter.

The evening before her brother and father were to leave, Lucrezia walked over to Micheletto.

"My Lady," he greeted.

"Micheletto. I trust you'll watch out for my brother on this trip?"

"Of course," he replied.

"Then I will not worry for his safety."

"Yes, you will," he countered.

"Yes, I will," she admitted. "You… intrigue me, Micheletto."

"How so?"

"You don't look at me, or Giulia, the way other men do. It's like you don't notice we are women. No… You notice, you just don't care… It doesn't matter to you the way it does to other men… I'm not explaining myself well…"

"I understand what you mean. It's really very simple: if Cesare saw me look at you with even a hint of lust or desire… well, he would not be happy."

"True," she admitted. "And that's what I thought at first. You're one of the few men I do not share blood with that I can trust not to look at me as an object. Whatever the reason for that, I appreciate it," she told him.

Seeing Cesare's eyes on them, she moved back to her place at his side.

"What were you and Micheletto talking about?" Cesare asked.

"I was just asking him to make sure you come home from this trip safely," she replied, then leaned up to kiss his cheek.


End file.
